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The USAF Aircrew Medical Contact Lens Study Group: operational problems
R J Dennis1, T J Tredici, D J Ivan
1Armstrong Laboratory, Ophthalmology Branch, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5117, USA.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Hard contact lenses (HCL) pose a higher risk of in-flight foreign body incursions and dislodgement for aircrew compared to soft contact lenses (SCL). Despite these risks, HCLs remain crucial for aircrew with corneal anomalies requiring vision correction.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Aerospace Medicine
- Vision Science
Background:
- Aircrew with refractive errors have worn soft contact lenses (SCL) since 1989.
- Aircrew with conditions like keratoconus have flown with contact lenses (CL) since the 1960s.
- The United States Air Force (USAF) Medical Contact Lens Study Group monitors aircrew CL wear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy and safety of hard contact lenses (HCL) versus SCL in the flight environment for aircrew.
- To identify operational problems associated with medically indicated CL wear in aircrew.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 142 aircrew medical records (1970-1993).
- Survey of the USAF Medical Contact Lens Study Group on operational issues.
- Comparison of HCL (51 surveys) and SCL (44 surveys) wearer experiences.
Main Results:
- HCL wearers experienced more foreign body incursions under the lens during flight (p=0.053).
- HCL wearers were more likely to have lenses become off-center during flight (p=0.035).
- Both HCL and SCL wearers reported cockpit dryness issues; CL-related non-flying duties were minimal.
Conclusions:
- HCLs are essential for correcting vision in aircrew with keratoconus and other corneal anomalies.
- Continued investigation into rigid gas-permeable HCLs for aircrew is recommended by the USAF.